At MacWorld last month, Mobile software developer Handmark unveiled a free Travel version of its Pocket Express wireless information portal for the iPhone and iPod touch. Various editions (free and paid) of this software, which has been around for half a decade now, is already available for the Nokia Eseries, Palm OS, Windows Mobile, and RIM BlackBerry platforms.

The concept behind Pocket Express is to downsize the Web to make it more manageable or usable for small-screened mobile devices. Pocket Express uses a channel metaphor rather than a browser to deliver Internet content to PDAs and smartphones. Handmark asserts the service is faster than mobile Web surfing by orders of magnitude.

Handmark's version of Pocket Express offers unlimited access to airline schedules and flight status; hotel information and bookings from Hotels.com; dozens of click-to-call travel numbers (airlines, rental car agencies, etc.); around-the-clock travel reservations service; and automatic conversions for 164 global currencies

The travel services in this edition of Pocket Express are free because the software is supported through advertising rather than a subscription model.

  To start using Pocket Express on your iPhone or iPod touch, simply point your device's Safari Web browser to www.pocketexpress.com. It’ll work through either a Wi-Fi or cellular-wireless EDGE data connection.